ALUMNI

Southland Ballet Academy’s reputation for excellence in dance training is based upon the accomplishments of our current and past students. Our alumni have achieved great things, and we are very proud of each and every one. Among these are former students who have received contracts with prestigious companies throughout the world, including American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Washington Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Memphis Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Austin and others.

A partial list of our alumni and their accomplishments appears here:

 

Laurel Benson

  • Ballet West
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet, Professional Division

Lana (Velasquez) Brooks

  • Colorado Ballet
  • “Dancer of the Year,” California Ballet
  • Southland Ballet Academy Faculty

Tyler Donatelli

  • Houston Ballet, demi soloist
  • “2015 Stars of the Corps,” Pointe Magazine
  • Houston Ballet II

Bryn Gilbert

  • Ballet Memphis
  • San Francisco Ballet, Trainee

Christina Harward

  • Estonian National Opera
  • Vaganova School, Russia, Year-round Study
  • Orlando Ballet

Quenby Hersh

  • Scottish National Ballet
  • Royal Ballet School Year-Round Scholarship

Lex Ishimoto

  • Boston Ballet, corps de ballet
  • Boston Ballet II
  • YAGP Senior Division Finalist, New York

Renee Kester

  • LA Freelance dancer, choreographer (SLIP Video, NAIR commercial, guest instructor)
  • Houston Ballet, corps de ballet
  • Washington Ballet, corps de ballet

Talia Kester

  • Nashville Ballet 2
  • Bolshoi Ballet School, Moscow, Russia

Kirby Killam

  • Ballet Austin

Jamie Kopit

  • American Ballet Theatre, corps de ballet
  • Royal Ballet School Year-Round Study
  • YAGP Senior Division Finalist, New York

Erin Lee

  • Sarasota Ballet
  • National Ballet School of Canada

Michelle Lemburg

  • Royal Ballet School Year-Round Study
  • Top 12 in Junior Women Division at YAGP Finals, New York

Ashley Lew

  • Full Scholarship, Princess Grace Academy in Monaco
  • Royal Ballet School Summer Study Scholarship
  • 1st Place in Junior Division at YAGP Finals, NYC

Anya Lydon

  • Dutch National Ballet School, Trainee
  • Dutch National Ballet School, Summer Study Scholarship

Clara Mason

  • Ballet West, Trainee position and scholarship

Jade Payette

  • Washington Ballet
  • Royal Ballet School – Year Round Scholarship

Alysa Reinhardt

  • Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet II

Susanna Russell

  • Ballet West School, Professional Division

Agnes Su

  • Stuttgart Ballet
  • Stuttgart Ballet School Scholarship

Sareen Tchekmedyian

  • Sarasota Ballet
  • Houston Ballet II